A great match played in terrible conditions..a draw probably a fair result..some serious young forward talent in Mayo especially Cian McHale /BMD and James Maheady /Crossmolina

100% Bohola great game played right and well, great kick passing and distribution..
The two lads u said could play countu cornerforwards for years to come

Double header next Saturday evening in mchale park

Thoroughly enjoyable game. Looking forward to the replay but it's a pity one of them has to lose. Both teams made light of the awful conditions.

@Bohola man agree awful conditions fair play to both teams!

No-one in either parish will agree but I was absolutely delighted to see hear the final whistle go, to have another week look forward to the replay. What a game that was, and what a county championship it's been, across all three levels

Few thoughts.
Crossmolina had a notable size and strength advahtage. That's a help in winter football.
It was noted in commentary, but I could see Moy Davitts bringing Anthony Jordan outfield in a swap with someone like Ronan Clarke.
Crossmolina finished the game without their two best defenders Mulhern and Gordetsky. Brian Reape and Mathew Gordetsky was a mighty battle. To the eye test Gordetsky looks one of the best young defenders, heard his age referenced as 19.
James Maheady kicked some beautys.
Fionan Duffy is a player to think about also with these new rules.
There's players like Evan Regan or Fionan Duffy could get a whole new lease of life under the new rules. Duffy is a classic test your outside shoulder and then skip back inside and shoot.
Now, currently, it's hard to pull off moves like that.

With the new rules inside forwards will have to be able to contest their own ball and backs will need to be able to man mark.
Interesting times ahead.
Headquarters could make a real mess of things if they tweak the rules before the championship.
Tweaks should be done after say 3 rounds of the league.

Agree JR. I think it's all going to be really good if they make sure refs give man markers a chance. If a Con is going to run around a defender with loads of steps that's a free out. The other one is going into the tackle and then pumping the legs to get out again, steps free out.
Man markers need to have some chance or likes of Clifford and Con will be bagging 3 goals in games.

I haven't saw better points kicked than by Cian Mchale in the semi and yesterday's final.. Outstanding efforts from out the field.

I think there are now four or even five plausible FF lines.

On the new rules, the Central Council have already tweaked them according to the Sunday Indo: The four-point goal has been dropped, as has the two-point 45; also the square ball one where you could move in once a kick was taken. And this one I love: the red flag for a two-pointer will be replaced by an orange flag. Why? Because now the scoring flags will match the Tricolour. Silly you, how could you not have seen that one coming?

Tweaked rules now go to a Special Congress on November 30th for approval.

McHale and Maheady kicked some super points. McHale has had a solid season. He has a great left peg and it’s without question that he’ll be part of Mayo going forward…BUT…kicking points at Intermediate versus top level intercounty are worlds apart. Almost like a different game. You get far less time and space. He needs to work incredibly hard to get to the next level but he has shown that the potential is there. One thing in his favour is that he has what good forwards have, an ability to get a shot away from distance without having to do huge backswing. It buys half a second and that can make a big difference. He could come into the senior set up in 2025 and have an indifferent year, but I’d persist with him and give him time.

It takes such hard work and personal dedication to make it at the top level. James Maheady has unique talents. I was in the Neale and he didn’t have a great day, missing shots he’d normally get but yesterday we got a glimpse of what he can potentially do. If he has the dedication and a work ethic then he can be really good for Mayo. He is tigerish and plays on the edge. I’d like to see how he fares with Mayo u20’s in 2025. Let him and Clarke focus on that with a view then, provided they perform to a level required (same as all u20’s) to bring them into a senior development/training squad in ‘25.

The club championship this year from senior to junior showed that there are forwards in Mayo. Without doubt. What we don’t appear to have in abundance have are top midfielders. Some lads showed moments of ability but I don’t think you can say that anyone in particular put in a sequence of dominant performances. Dominant to the level of being able to say, that lads a cert for Mayo. Instead there are about 5 or 6 ok players, who on their day can be very good. But for me it’s definitely an area where we are behind other top 6/7 teams in the country. Hopefully some lads step up in 2025.

At the back we are ok-ish. Plenty of strong attacking hand backs. McBrien is solid at FB, but if anything happens him then suddenly we look vulnerable. I thought our most improved player, by a country mile, in 2024 was Donnacha McHugh but we definitely need more from other defenders currently on the Mayo panel. We need tight man-markers. Lads whose primary goal is stopping their opponent. Lads who relish that challenge. We have enough fellas who want to surge forward. Too many.

On yesterday, I thought Crossmolina were incredibly naive in the last 5 mins. Everyone knew BMD had to get a goal; they had the elements and the moment. This is when you have to see lads like Loftus and Flynn drop deep and mind the house. They didn’t. They continue to storm up field and left too much space and open to counter attacks. I know you can say the goal was a stroke of luck..long ball in etc but Cross should have had that area full. They didn’t. It was very poor game management and in short, they absolutely threw it away. BMD didn’t play well. So many of their players underperformed. Also, I don’t know why they didn’t play Clarke much closer to Reape. That’s where they needed him. Not out around the 40.

You’re 4 points up with an extra man in the last minute of normal time. What do you do? Bring everyone back…and slow it down. No way BMD we’re gonna score 4 points in 4 minutes. If Mayo did it we’d be absolutely raging and rightfully so. Even if the new rules are implemented you set up so as not to allow goals and you mind the arc by man marking the opponents better known shooters

Mayonaze , crossmolina had actually 5 men back and the goalie in and around the square when the goal was scored . How many more would you want back there ? It was a great game played in atrocious conditions yet people still try and find the negaitves . . We still have a chance to win it next Saturday and honestly I'd rather play the game we played yesterday than watching a lot of the tripe that's been played all year. Also while I'm at it , someone needs to explain the advantage rule to the ref .

Deel Rover was the whistle having been blown not the issue there?

Sorry Gizmobobs ? With the advantage rule and the referee ?

Yes, thought ref blew whistle for that foul that's why couldn't allow the advantage. Which was a great advantage if allowed.

Yeah gizmobobs , he done that a few times yesterday . He blew the whistle early when it was Plain to be seen that he should have played the advantage , he done that a few times when we were on the attack , it was very frustrating to watch.

I'm torn on the scoring system of 1:2:3 versus 1:2:4
Perhaps the 4 pt goal makes a 1pter too weak?
Perhaps two long range points deserves to be more than one goal?
It would be a difficult pill to swallow leading a match by 3 pts and losing off an own goal or a scrambled goal.

Bohola MD red card for Reid was that a second yellow/black or straight red?
Great that it's double header again for fans travelling.

Pretty sure it was a 2nd yellow

Couldn't agree more with you on the above Deel Rovers, on both counts. The referee's lack of application of the advantage rule also contributed to the frustration levels on the pitch, I feel.

Gizmobobs it was a second yellow

It was definitely a second yellow for Conor Reid, we got that confirmed for the pod after the game.

JP - see my post above re the rule tweaks. The four point goal is gone - Central Council not putting that forward to Congress.

The ref was to quick to blow the whistle when there was a possible advantage for both teams at different stages.otherwise had a good game all cards were correct

Cp - I thought the ref had a good game too - except for those two clear advantages that he didn't allow.

I wonder is there any chance David Drake could be talked back in for a season or 2. What a difference he would make to our f.b.line with the likes of David McB and David Tiger.
Not sure what age he is but he's obviously in great shape and that would be a teak tough line of man markers.

David Tigue**

Leave it at Tiger 2 hops!

I think so...Lol.

Hi Deel River, I’m not looking to focus on the negatives but finals are about winning and Crossmolina threw it away, there’s no disputing that. Had they 5 back for the goal? Have more back is what I’m saying. Whatever you do don’t let them score a goal. Reape got a flick to the long ball in and then Heneghan so not only did they allow one BMD player get a connection toward goal but two players. It was bad defending at a critical point in the game.

There’s no doubt but Cross played all the football up until the 40/45th minute, got some terrific scores and looked in control but they completely lost their way coming down the stretch. If they can manage to win the replay then it’ll be some achievement, mentally. I’m really looking forward to it. BMD have far greater scope for improvement. That doesn’t mean they’ll win but they definitely have the psychological advantage now.

It's called sport Mayonaze , the ball rebounded off the post and straight into heneghans path , if reapes flick went 6 inches the other side it was wide , and cross would have won , them are the breaks .
Cross learned a lot from the group game and I'm sure they learn more from yesterday's game , moy davits played as well as they were let play.
Looking forward to next Saturday, let the best team win.

@Deel Rover I agree with you crossmolina played great football in terrible conditions a draw was probably the fair result. Hopefully it's much better weather next week!

If the game was poor there'd be more commentary on that. Thought both teams kicked some great scores in bad conditions.

Of course there’s an element of luck but my point is don’t allow Reape win that flick and if he does and the ball rebounds at least have a player there and not allow the opposition a 2nd chance to get the ball in target. It’s called good defending.

Obviously anyone from Crossmolina is very disappointed. Naturally. Inches from getting up to senior. The chance is still there but it’ll be harder the next day. And future is very bright for the club provided they get all players through….and keep them.

Some of the points kicked by both sides yesterday where top top class especially in be conditions. Mchale and maheady are two class young forwards already looking forward to the replay next Saturday.

Ten hag, rowntree,…surely not mcstay?